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AIXpert Blog is about the AIX operating system from IBM running on POWER based machines called Power Systems and software related to it like PowerVM for virtualisation, PowerVC for Deploying VM's and PowerSC for security plus performance monitoring and nmon

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HMC Version 6 Release 1.0 Available Again

HMC V6.1 has been re-released. This code contains the long-awaited function allowing the HMC to use a proxy server when contacting IBM Service over the Internet. Recovery media and ISO image files are again available through the HMC Corrective Service web site:

Before upgrading, administrators need to determine if they have an HMC affected by an internal modem problem that would cause the HMC to hang. This problem exists on some 7310-C04 and 7310-C05 models with PCI internal modems. A PTF is available on current HMC releases that will enable administrators to determine whether their HMC is impacted. Administrators can download the appropriate PTFs from the same web page listed above. After installing the PTF, the administrator should follow instructions provided to determine whether the HMC's internal modem needs to be replaced by IBM. If there's no problem, they can upgrade to HMC 6.1.

After upgrading, administrators should immediately apply a required maintenance fix, MH00833. This corrects a problem activating a VIO server partition containing a shared Ethernet adapter (SEA). That problem was one of the reasons why HMC V6.1 was temporarily withdrawn.

For administrators upgrading from HMC Version 4.x, there are special steps to follow. In a nutshell, it requires saving upgrade data to a DVD-RAM before beginning the upgrade; doing an overwrite install instead of choosing the upgrade option; and using a new command -- rstupgdata -r dvd -- to restore the HMC's data following the upgrade. The full instructions can be found in the link "Upgrade from HMC V4.x to HMC V6.1" found on this page:

There's also a new optional upgrade procedure for users currently at HMC 5.2.1. This is particularly valuable for those wishing to do an upgrade remotely. The procedure allows administrators to download the image files obtained from IBM to an FTP server in their network, and then use a new command to pull those files to the HMC in a bootable partition. But first, existing customization needs to be saved using the command saveupgdata -r diskdvd, with formatted media in the DVD-RAM drive. This command will save the upgrade data to disk and to the DVD-RAM. The next step is to run the getupgfiles command. The command would look like this: getupgfiles -h host_name -u userID --passwd password -d remote_directory . Then the command chhmc -c altdiskboot -s enable --mode upgrade can be issued and the HMC will be automatically upgraded upon rebooting with the command hmcshutdown -r -t now . The full set of instructions can be found here: